Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Iraqi plan to defeat Islamic State: Too light on political steps?
• Records: Wife suspected war vet husband of killing relatives
• 'Homeland' Adds Miranda Otto and 3 More New Series Regulars
• Iraqi PM to outline plan for retaking Ramadi: US official
• Museums draw up 'red list' to help spot stolen Iraqi antiquities
• IS revamps recruitment, with savvy, professional broadcasts
• NBC approaching 4 months without Williams decision
• Fighting ISIS: U.S. still seeking a strategy that works
• Colorado GOP congressman declines US Senate run
• Taliban Urges Supporters to Use Texting App To Get Jihadi News
• PenFed Hosts Nationally-Syndicated Radio Star, Delilah
• Saudi oil minister says OPEC strategy working
• Clash of priorities defines debate as '16 campaign takes off
• Here’s where Lindsey Graham gets his campaign money
• IS suicide attackers slow Iraq's Ramadi counterattack
• Where Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton differ: Social Security
• Lindsey Graham launches 2016 bid
• What Beau Biden represented in American politics
• Jordanians jailed for two years over IS links
• Mercy Corps: Escalated Fighting in Syria Threatens Critical Humanitarian Supply Routes and Causes New Waves of Displacement
• Where They Stand: Lindsey Graham on issues of 2016 campaign
• Defense hawk Graham enters Republican race for White House
• Kerry heads home on U.S. military plane after breaking his leg
• U.S., allies conduct 23 air strikes against Islamic State: military
• Dutch king, queen begin US visit with Obama at White House
• Lindsey Graham—Prudent or Paranoid Over ISIS?
• Museums band together to watch for looted Iraqi artifacts
• Funding shortage threatens half U.N.'s humanitarian operations in Iraq
• Men brace for 'beard patrols' in Iraq's IS-held Mosul
• Suicide attacks in Iraq's Anbar kill 41 from security forces
• UNICEF launches $500 million appeal for Iraq
• $500 million appeal for Iraq to be launched: UNICEF
• Two held in Sweden over 'terror training and recruitment'
• And then there were 9: why Lindsey Graham is entering GOP race
• Iranian planes that drew U.S. sanctions to fly outside country: Fars
• France: Iraq airstrikes must be backed by political accord
• Libya fears Iraq-like jihadist scenario
• Sweden arrests two in raids against militant recruitment activity

Iraqi plan to defeat Islamic State: Too light on political steps? Posted: 01 Jun 2015 04:55 PM PDT Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will present his plan for retaking his country's Anbar province from Islamic State militants at a Paris meeting Tuesday of the international coalition that was set up last year to rid Iraq and Syria of the extremist group. Mr. Abadi's plan looks likely to focus on military steps to be taken to root out the self-described Islamic State (IS) and measures to "stabilize" areas once IS is pushed out. Recommended: Sunni and Shiite Islam: Do you know the difference?

Records: Wife suspected war vet husband of killing relatives Posted: 01 Jun 2015 04:29 PM PDT SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A decorated Iraq War veteran arrested in the killing of his estranged wife's mother, stepfather and brother suffers from post-traumatic stress and had been increasingly delusional, his wife told authorities in court documents released Monday.

'Homeland' Adds Miranda Otto and 3 More New Series Regulars Posted: 01 Jun 2015 03:45 PM PDT The Showtime drama, seeing another change in locale for its fifth season, again beefs up its cast.

Iraqi PM to outline plan for retaking Ramadi: US official Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:50 PM PDT Iraq's plan to recapture the western city of Ramadi from Islamic State jihadists will dominate a meeting Tuesday in Paris of foreign ministers from the international coalition fighting the group, a senior US official said. In the wake of the stunning defeat in Ramadi this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will outline how his government intends to retake it and what coalition partners can do to help, a senior State Department official told reporters.

Museums draw up 'red list' to help spot stolen Iraqi antiquities Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:30 PM PDT Museum experts from around the world on Monday issued an "emergency red list" to help authorities identify Iraqi antiquities at risk of being looted and illegally exported as the country battles a surge in jihadist violence. The list from the Paris-based International Council of Museums (ICOM) highlights objects that are popular on the black market such as sculptures, stone tablets, vases and coins, and tells customs and police officers how to spot stolen ancient treasures. "In recent months we have witnessed massacres of minorities in Syria and Iraq but also the destruction of priceless works of cultural heritage," the head of Paris's famed Louvre Museum, Jean-Luc Martinez, said at a press conference presenting the new list.

IS revamps recruitment, with savvy, professional broadcasts Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:26 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — The announcer with an American accent offers an upbeat roundup of the day's main headlines: Islamic State fighters seized control of a crucial Syrian city, extremists repelled Kurdish fighters despite coalition airstrikes, and two suicide bombers successfully carried out their missions.

NBC approaching 4 months without Williams decision Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:05 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — As the four-month anniversary of Brian Williams' suspension for misrepresenting his experiences as a journalist nears, NBC News has remained mum on whether he will return as the network's top anchor, be cut loose or take on some other role for the news division.

Fighting ISIS: U.S. still seeking a strategy that works Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:00 PM PDT More than 13,000 bombs have been dropped from the skies above Syria and Iraq by the U.S. military and its allies as part of the international campaign to destroy ISIS. The cost, mostly picked up by U.S. taxpayers, is more than $2.5 billion.

Colorado GOP congressman declines US Senate run Posted: 01 Jun 2015 01:22 PM PDT DENVER (AP) — Republican Rep. Mike Coffman is not going to challenge incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet in next year's election.

Taliban Urges Supporters to Use Texting App To Get Jihadi News Posted: 01 Jun 2015 01:21 PM PDT The Afghan Taliban is urging its supporters to install a popular smartphone texting app in order to receive news from the battlefields directly, a call that has underscored longstanding concerns by U.S. counter-terrorism officials about shortcomings in surveillance capabilities. "All Muslim brothers can register their names... to receive all Al Emarah releases in Pashto, Persian, English and Arabic languages," the Taliban statement said, according the SITE Intelligence Group.

PenFed Hosts Nationally-Syndicated Radio Star, Delilah Posted: 01 Jun 2015 01:11 PM PDT /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- PenFed Credit Union recently played host to radio personality, author, and songwriter, Delilah, who is known as the most listened to woman in North America. ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 1, 2015 As part of an iHeartMedia promotion, Delilah visited PenFed's headquarters in Alexandria, Va. on Friday afternoon to meet and greet employees, take photos and sign autographs. "I found Delilah to be inspirational and genuine," said James Schenck, president and CEO of PenFed.

Saudi oil minister says OPEC strategy working Posted: 01 Jun 2015 01:00 PM PDT OPEC's strategy of not cutting production in order to maintain market share is working, Saudi Arabia's oil minister said Monday as he arrived for a meeting of the cartel to decide on output levels. Asked if this strategy pushed by OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia was working, Ali al-Naimi told reporters in Vienna: "The answer is yes... Demand is picking up. The 12-nation OPEC cartel, pumping some 30 percent of the world's oil, is expected on Friday to maintain its official production target of 30 million barrels per day (bpd).

Clash of priorities defines debate as '16 campaign takes off Posted: 01 Jun 2015 12:24 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — Listen to the Republican candidates for president and they'll tell you the country faces a dire threat from terrorism, and is on the brink of falling victim to Islamic State militants.

Here’s where Lindsey Graham gets his campaign money Posted: 01 Jun 2015 12:20 PM PDT The senator's hawkish views on national security and Israel ought to help raise money.

IS suicide attackers slow Iraq's Ramadi counterattack Posted: 01 Jun 2015 12:17 PM PDT A huge suicide bomb attack on an Iraqi police base killed at least 37 people Monday, further slowing an operation to retake the city of Ramadi from Islamic State jihadists. The blast came as US-led coalition members carrying out air raids against IS and providing training and weapons to Iraqi forces prepared to meet in Paris for talks on a string of major battlefield gains by the jihadists in Iraq and Syria. A suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden vehicle at a police base in Iraq's Salaheddin province, killing at least 37 people and wounding more than 30, officers said.

Where Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton differ: Social Security Posted: 01 Jun 2015 12:13 PM PDT Jeb Bush on Sunday said he's in favor of raising the retirement age for Social Security as a way to ensure the program's fiscal health. Appearing on CBS's "Face the Nation," former Florida Governor Bush told newsman Bob Schieffer that the current basic retirement age of 65 needs to go to 68 or 70 as a way to sustain Social Security for those now under 40. "I think it needs to be phased in over an extended period of time," Bush told Mr. Schieffer, who retired himself following the broadcast.

Lindsey Graham launches 2016 bid Posted: 01 Jun 2015 12:07 PM PDT CENTRAL, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has kicked off his presidential campaign.

What Beau Biden represented in American politics Posted: 01 Jun 2015 11:58 AM PDT Let's put partisanship aside for a moment and remember Beau Biden, the man, and what he represented. Mr. Biden, the former attorney general of Delaware and son of Vice President Joe Biden, died Saturday, eliciting an outpouring of tributes and sympathy for the Biden family. When Biden's father was elected vice president in 2008, the younger Biden could have been appointed to his father's Senate seat but opted to remain attorney general.

Jordanians jailed for two years over IS links Posted: 01 Jun 2015 11:40 AM PDT Jordan on Monday sentenced four people to two years in jail each for having tried to join the ranks of the Islamic State group and for promoting the jihadists online. The kingdom is one of five Arab nations that joined a US-led air campaign against the Sunni extremist group that has declared a "caliphate" straddling the borders of neighbouring Iraq and Syria. Since the start of the campaign in September 2014, Jordan has reportedly arrested dozens of suspected IS sympathisers and put several on trial.

Mercy Corps: Escalated Fighting in Syria Threatens Critical Humanitarian Supply Routes and Causes New Waves of Displacement Posted: 01 Jun 2015 11:02 AM PDT GAZIANTEP, Turkey, June 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A major escalation in fighting among all parties to the Syrian conflict is threatening critical supply routes for humanitarian aid in areas between the Turkish border and Aleppo City and forcing thousands of vulnerable civilians trapped between the front lines to flee their homes, according to global humanitarian organization Mercy Corps. As foreign ministers from more than 20 countries gather in Paris on June 2 to discuss the crises in Syria and Iraq, Mercy Corps calls on the international community to step up diplomatic efforts to end the war and to fund the humanitarian response at a scale commensurate to the human suffering. "We are deeply concerned that further escalation in fighting will make it impossible for our teams to bring vulnerable families and those newly displaced from their homes the life-sustaining assistance they need to survive this terrible war," says Rae McGrath, Mercy Corps' director for North Syria.

Where They Stand: Lindsey Graham on issues of 2016 campaign Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:27 AM PDT CENTRAL, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has opened his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. Here's a snapshot of where he stands on issues likely to be debated in the Republican presidential primaries.

Defense hawk Graham enters Republican race for White House Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:25 AM PDT By Greg Lacour CENTRAL, S.C., (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a defense hawk, entered the race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination on Monday, putting criticism of President Barack Obama's foreign policy at the forefront of his White House bid. Graham, 59, is the ninth Republican to declare he is running for the White House in a field that includes better-known Republicans such as U.S. Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida. A fierce critic of Obama's nuclear negotiations with Iran, Graham was one of 47 Republican senators who signed a letter of warning in March to the leadership in Tehran, a highly unusual intervention into U.S. foreign policymaking.

Kerry heads home on U.S. military plane after breaking his leg Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:22 AM PDT By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry left Europe for the United States aboard a special military aircraft on Monday after breaking his leg in a cycling accident. Kerry, 71, broke his right femur on Sunday while cycling a portion of the Tour de France route in the Haute Savoie region. Kerry had been in Geneva for negotiations on Saturday with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and after the accident has had to cancel planned visits to Madrid and Paris.

U.S., allies conduct 23 air strikes against Islamic State: military Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:03 AM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.-led forces targeted Islamic State militants in Syria with 13 air strikes from Sunday morning through Monday morning and conducted another 10 strikes against the group in Iraq, the U.S. military said on Monday. In Syria, the strikes were concentrated near Al Hasakah, with nine hitting tactical units and destroying Islamic State fighting positions, vehicles and a weapons cache, according to a statement. Air strikes also hit targets near Ar Raqqah and Kobani. In Iraq, coalition forces struck near Baiji, Falluja, Mosul, Ramadi, Sinjar and Tal Afar. ...

Dutch king, queen begin US visit with Obama at White House Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:36 AM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama praised the Netherlands as among America's "oldest and most precious allies" as he welcomed the Dutch king and queen to the White House Monday.

Lindsey Graham—Prudent or Paranoid Over ISIS? Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:32 AM PDT Criticizing the Obama administration's efforts to strike a deal with Iran over its nuclear program, Graham said in an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt in February, "Obama's about to unleash Hell on the Mideast.

Museums band together to watch for looted Iraqi artifacts Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:29 AM PDT PARIS (AP) — Stone tablets and terracotta seals, ivory sculptures and copper vessels. Antiquities experts from around the world are banding together to try and protect Iraqi cultural objects at risk of trafficking.

Funding shortage threatens half U.N.'s humanitarian operations in Iraq Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:57 AM PDT The United Nations said it would be forced to slash or shut down almost half its aid operations in Iraq without an immediate injection of new funds, at a time when a humanitarian crisis triggered by Islamic State insurgents is intensifying. Lise Grande, the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, said the number of people in need of assistance continues to increase as the resources to help them dry up, and she forecast a "summer of discontent". A renewed Islamic State offensive in western Iraq has displaced tens of thousands of people over the past month and many more are likely to flee fighting as Iraqi security forces and paramilitary groups act to regain lost ground.

Men brace for 'beard patrols' in Iraq's IS-held Mosul Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:55 AM PDT The jihadist group has handed out leaflets in their stronghold of Mosul in recent weeks announcing that full beards become compulsory on June 1 and explaining why shaving is punishable. "I'm scared because they deal ruthlessly with anyone who opposes or ignores their instructions," he told AFP from Mosul, the de facto Iraqi capital of IS's self-proclaimed caliphate. Mosul is Iraq's second city and used to have a population of around two million before IS swept in a year ago and made it their main hub.

Suicide attacks in Iraq's Anbar kill 41 from security forces Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:44 AM PDT BAGHDAD (AP) — Three Islamic State suicide bombers targeted a police base in Iraq's western Anbar province with explosives-laden Humvees on Monday, killing at least 41 police and Shiite militiamen, officials said.

UNICEF launches $500 million appeal for Iraq Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:25 AM PDT Humanitarian organisations are preparing to launch a fundraising appeal for $500 million (454 million euros) for the crisis created by the Islamic State group in Iraq, UNICEF said on Monday. The announcement came a day ahead of a meeting in Paris of the US-led coalition of countries working to defeat the jihadist group in Iraq and Syria. "The humanitarian situation in Iraq is close to disaster! We urgently need extra resources," Philippe Heffinck, UNICEF's representative in Iraq, said in a statement in French.

$500 million appeal for Iraq to be launched: UNICEF Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:22 AM PDT Humanitarian organisations are preparing to launch a fundraising appeal for $500 million (454 million euros) for the crisis created by the Islamic State group in Iraq, UNICEF said on Monday. The announcement came a day ahead of a meeting in Paris of the US-led coalition of countries working to defeat the jihadist group in Iraq and Syria. "The humanitarian situation in Iraq is close to disaster! We urgently need extra resources," Philippe Heffinck, UNICEF's representative in Iraq, said in a statement in French.

Two held in Sweden over 'terror training and recruitment' Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:08 AM PDT Sweden's intelligence agency Sapo said Monday that it had made two arrests as part of a crackdown on radicalisation and recruitment of Islamic militants planning to fight in Iraq and Syria. "The Security Service raided two locations in Sweden, targeting suspected terrorist recruitment and training," the agency said in a statement. The raids took place in the capital Stockholm and the central Swedish town of Orebro.

And then there were 9: why Lindsey Graham is entering GOP race Posted: 01 Jun 2015 07:46 AM PDT Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of the Senate's most experienced defense hawks, has one motivating factor behind his long-shot candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination: It's a dangerous world out there, and he wants to do something about it. With the Islamic State making gains in Iraq and Syria, China flexing its maritime muscles in Asia, Russia on the prowl in eastern Europe, and the outcome of an Iranian nuclear deal uncertain, national security challenges look more formidable than even a few years ago.

Iranian planes that drew U.S. sanctions to fly outside country: Fars Posted: 01 Jun 2015 07:26 AM PDT An Iranian airline that acquired nine passenger jets in defiance of U.S. sanctions will begin using them on international routes this week, the Fars news agency reported on Monday. Mahan Air, which is blacklisted by Washington, acquired eight second-hand Airbus A340s and one Airbus A321 in early May. The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on two firms based in Iraq and the United Arab Emirates on suspicion of helping the purchase. The A340s will start flying from Tehran to Dubai and Istanbul within two days, and will later be used for long-haul journeys, Fars reported.

France: Iraq airstrikes must be backed by political accord Posted: 01 Jun 2015 07:22 AM PDT BONN, Germany (AP) — France's foreign minister says airstrikes against Islamic State extremists will be effective only if there is political reconciliation in Iraq.

Libya fears Iraq-like jihadist scenario Posted: 01 Jun 2015 06:48 AM PDT Libya's internationally recognised government called for outside help against military advances in the country by the Islamic State jihadist group and warned of an Iraq-like scenario. "Libyan cities are coming under increased threat from this group and it will become difficult to confront them, like in Iraq," Prime Minister Abdallah Thani told a press conference on Sunday in Al-Baida in eastern Libya where his administration is based. Thani renewed demands for a lifting of the international arms embargo, in place since Libya's 2011 NATO-backed uprising which toppled longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, to defeat the IS jihadists, whose counterparts have seized control of swathes of Iraq and Syria.

Sweden arrests two in raids against militant recruitment activity Posted: 01 Jun 2015 05:11 AM PDT Swedish police arrested two people in raids in the capital Stockholm and provincial city of Orebro on Monday as part of a crackdown on recruitment of young men to fight with Islamist militants abroad. Thousands of European citizens, mainly with Islamic immigrant backgrounds, have joined groups such as Islamic State, an ultra-hardline Sunni Muslim jihadist group that has declared a "caliphate" across parts of Syria and Iraq it has seized. European Union governments fear that some fighters with European passports could return home and carry out attacks, and are tightening laws and security to pre-empt travel for jihad.

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